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When musicians talk about the great music composers they often mention Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and the other guy. I am not a musician. I can just about play the guitar, badly. But I think most real musicians will agree that Ennio Morricone could give them a run for their money. A fist-full of money!

As a young cowboy I didn’t stop to think where the background music originated. I only knew it suited us both, me and Clint. At primary school (all boys), we would whistle the theme to ‘The good, the bad, and the ugly,’ as the headmaster’s footsteps could be heard approaching the classroom.

Morricone has composed the music for lots of movies. Including a personal favourite, from 1986, The Mission. It starred Robert DeNiro, Jeremy Irons, and a young Liam Neeson.

I was fifteen when I saw it in the local cinema. I went alone, which was good because I found the tears welling in my eyes near the end. I won’t spoil it if you’ve never seen it. A great movie which told a true story from all sides, the good, the bad and the ugly.

In fact, it doesn’t take a proper musician to appreciate Gabriel’s Oboe. Any earthly creature with an ear could feel the emotion in the notes (they don’t make truckers like they used to).

The first is a French runner. He won the European steeplechase last night. I think this may be his third time to be crowned Euro steeplechase champ (I could be wrong). But he won last night with ease. So much ease that he decided to striptease as he ran the final straight. The pride was written all over his face. Before the evening was out he was stripped of the gold medal. Disqualified, for breaking the rules. I bet he regrets the premature celebrations, poor chap. As John Lennon used to say, in his Liverpool accent “Alright alright, keep your shirt on.”

The second reason is Mexico. The Mexican people are leading the way when it comes to world peace. As of July, 12,000 guns have been handed in to the ‘Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe’ in Mexico city since there was a programme introduced in which a weapon can be exchanged for food, or cash, or a laptop, or a domestic appliance. And get this…children who hand in toy guns also receive a reward, in the form of another toy like a football or something non-violence related. Go Mexico, be proud!!! I wonder would this be worth a try with kids all around the world? Maybe it’s not too late to help the next generation.

And finally the third reason is my eldest daughter (17) received the results of the leaving cert exams this week. For those overseas, the leaving certificate exams are the final exams of second level education. She did very well.

I don’t know much about science (there’s a song in that) but she has whittled it down to two universities. There are some things I can offer advice on. Science isn’t one of them. Although chemistry… I do know not to mix my drinks.

Our team won! We are through to the semi finals! I kept it together in the old ‘fear of heights’ department!

It was a good day. Our luck was in. Then something happened on the car journey home which reminded me just how lucky I am.

The radio was on and the sports commentators were giving the post match analysis. Every now and then they would read out a comment which they had received via phone or email. Most of these were the usual comments, like…

“Armagh was robbed!” or “The better team lost.” or “Donegal will hammer Dublin in the semi final,” (which they will). But in the middle of all these was a comment which sent me into a daydream.

“Michael Healey would like to say thanks for all the thrilling live match commentary down through the years. Michael has been blind since birth.”

The chat continued on the radio and also in the back seat but I was now miles away, in Michael’s kitchen. Blind since birth! He doesn’t know the colours of the pitch, the players, the flags, anything. He doesn’t know colours. He has never seen a player jump to catch a high ball. He has never seen a ball soar through the air or between the posts.

In fact he doesn’t have a fear of heights because, high seats or low seats, they are all the same to him.

And yet he takes the time to say thanks.

Michael Healey, whoever you are, we the people with eyes that work are grateful to you for showing us how to cope, and still be thankful.

So, why then am I going to put myself through torment in five hours time?

Because as my wife says “Being a parent is not about you Frankie, it’s about them.” She also sometimes calls it ‘building memories for them’.

This won’t be our first trip to Croke Park, Ireland’s national football stadium, and fingers crossed it won’t be our last! Our county team, Donegal, have reached the quarter final.

On previous visits to the stadium we were seated nice and low. But this time the only seats left were the highest, steepest gradient. My kids do not know about my fear of heights and I don’t intend to pass it on because “it’s not about me.” Heights shhmites!

There will be plenty to keep my mind off the height with the match taking place below. We (we are all in this together) are going to absolutely make County Armagh wish they had never taken an interest in football. We will destroy them. As they say in the States “we will hand them their asses.” In New York..”We will moyda the bums.” In Germany…”Vee vill kill zem.” In Mexico..

Daily Prompt: Sounds Right
This is clearly subjective, but some words really sound like the thing they describe (personal favorites: puffin; bulbous; fidgeting). Do you have an example of such a word (or alternatively, of a word that sounds like the exact opposite of what it refers to)? What do you think creates this effect?

One of my favorite word is eternity. It washes peace and a forever kind of sound on me. Then it also reminds me of one of my favorite perfume spray: Eternity, which is kind of fabulous.

Obstinate brings right in front of my eyes, those mulish characters who are set like rocks in their thoughts and ways. They won’t budge from their stance even when they know they are in the wrong. More like a donkey when you are trying to move it forward, and it doesn’t move.